I enjoy Faun and other bands to set the mood for most of my rituals, and a bit of Dropkick Murpheys and Flogging Molly is great for setting a tougher mood for those special spells that require just that kind of mood.
I wrangled up all my songs and put them here.http://www.playlist.com/playlist/14569209355

I encourage all of you to do the same if you do it. It's quite a fun experience to open your mind with the wonders of music as you connect wit the universe.

"Water, water, everywhere,And all the boards did shrink;Water, water, everywhere,Nor any drop to drink."

I always listen to music while meditating... Not during actual ritual or magic use though. I have always felt that, for me at least, if I can't get into the mood myself, then I probally won't have the concentration or control to cast the magic.

Just my belief though... If the music works for you, then I'll never say it shouldn't be incorporated into your spirituality.

Trying to create a world, even in words, is good occupational therapy for lunatics who think they're God, and an excellent argument for Polytheism. -S.M. Stirling

It depends on the magick, honestly... sometimes I use music, other times I don't... if it's beneficial or I think it could be, on goes the music, otherwise not... though I've found that live music tends to be more effective for some things, unless you're just trying to set the mood.

I once spent a good three hours crafting a protective charm for my wife while listening to Inkubus Sukkubus's Wytches Chant on repeat.

I generally try to use instrumental music for my workings, though as I find that Lyrics will distract me during the process.
A friend of mine from the UK has some great violin stuff that is just perfect for it. Ambient music is also a good mood setter both for meditation and working.

I will play music for everything except ritual work. It is especially effective for healings, giving or receiving. I will often play music while Journeying or meditating, although these two have been more spontaneous the last few years and so have lacked music excep the drumbeat of the Universe and my own heart.

Oooooo. That brought up some fancy images Too bad I wasn't more skilled at painting what I see in my head!

Crazy Healer LadyHealth and happiness to you!

The purpose of a relationship is not to have another who might complete you, but to have another with whom you might share your completeness. -CWG

I agree, Lyrics tend to distract me as well. So will music that is too recognizable.

I had the instrumental theme from Harry Potter in originally, but I always found myself slightly jared out of it when I realized what it was from.

Now the only recognizable piece I have is a piano solo from Parasite Eve. Video game or not, the theme is beautiful, but my association makes it just a bit haunting as well. The nice thing is that it doesn't jar me out. Perhaps because the main character in the video game isn't a wizard...? :-"

Trying to create a world, even in words, is good occupational therapy for lunatics who think they're God, and an excellent argument for Polytheism. -S.M. Stirling

On an intresting note, when I play my piano I close my eyes, and whe I open them there are spirits gathered, listening... So did I summon them unconciously, or did I draw them with my playing? I've heard that spirits hate dischordant noises and are supposed to flip out over them but- Does that mean music itself is a form of magick, and is capable of drawing spirits and powers to you?
I was once told that Music is Magic, but I never considered it being LITERALL.

"Water, water, everywhere,And all the boards did shrink;Water, water, everywhere,Nor any drop to drink."

Music is the expression/description/etc of those things that cannot be explained/described/understood in any other way. That is the way I have always felt about music. I was brought up with music always around me. I used to sing, and play instruments as well, and have never felt some of the feelings I've had in those moments at any other time. I have always felt that music is a wonderful form of self-expression - whether or not you play or sing yourself - there will always be something in a note somewhere that will hit home for you.

As for your guests while playing - that is pretty normal to be honest. Alot of ghosts/spirits/energy forms are drawn to music. I have often in the past found my great-grandmother in the room with me when I have started singing randomly.

If you think about it - chanting, singing, dancing - all forms of rhythm, tone, music etc have been used over and over in countless different religions/cultures as a way to either celebrate, perform rituals, contact ancestors or what have you. So even if in itself the music cannot be considered magic, it is most definitely (in some cultures/religions) a major part of magic.

Whether it thins the veils or calls spirits is personal to each moment, although often it is both.

I remember one sunny afternoon a few years ago, I went outside on the lawn with no one around but me and the mountain and the garden and the sky. I started playing a little tune I made up for my story, and many animals came, including Raven and many totem animals of mine. Raven is a wonderful bird to teach about music.

Crazy Healer LadyHealth and happiness to you!

The purpose of a relationship is not to have another who might complete you, but to have another with whom you might share your completeness. -CWG

I began humming and called the local guardian of the land recently. Hytegia, you asked a question I've had for a little while. I play the violin, and on occasion, I'll feel as if I'm not alone. I think that music opens up the side of us that speaks without words; Everything we can't express in words. For some, their art expresses this, for me it is music. Just listening to it can be very spiritual and emotional. On occasions, I've played with instruments and come up with very beautiful tidbits.

For meditation, I use a lot of native American flute music, nature sounds, orchestral music, and music without lyrics. But for ritual, I've found that I like phonemic music, or music with phonemic sounding lyrics. If I remember more to add to this list, I will.

Karl Jenkins
Mediæval Bæbes
Carlos NakaiFeng Shui : Music for Balanced Living by Daniel May (I use the Fire, Earth, and Chi tracks for meditation.)
The Lord of the Rings soundtrack ("Into the West" would probably be good for a passing...)
The Capriol Suite by Peter Warlock (Lol, what an odd last name! )

I took a few moments to put together a soothing ritual or meditation playlist for anyone to use. (If you have FireFox, there's a way to download the tracks, too! I'd be willing to help someone set up the plug-in for it.)